Treasury refinances Sh129bn Eurobond at higher cost

The government is set to face increased costs for external debt financing after taking up a new $1.5 billion (Sh193.8 billion) Eurobond, whose proceeds are partially earmarked for refinancing an existing, cheaper bond due to mature in February 2028.

The National Treasury said on Friday that the new bond has been issued in two tranches, one with a term of seven and the other 12 years, at interest rates of 7.875 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively.

While the Treasury did not disclose how the $1.5 billion bond value was split between the two tranches, it said that the weighted average interest rate on the issuance stood at 8.7 percent, meaning that the annual cost of servicing the debt stands at $130.5 million (Sh16.9 billion).

At the same time, Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo said in a statement that the government had completed the buyback of a 10-year, $1 billion (Sh129.23 billion) Eurobond that was issued in February 2018, ahead of its 2028 maturity date.

This bond paid annual interest at a rate of 7.25 percent, or $72.5 million (Sh9.37 billion), making it cheaper than the replacement paper whose effective interest charge on a similar portion of $1 billion stands at $87 million (Sh11.24 billion).

The Treasury PS said that the buyback and new issuance were necessary to give Kenya fiscal breathing space by lengthening the maturity of debt that has a short period to redemption.

‘This is the third such transaction since 2024, and it shows the government’s firm commitment to managing debt more wisely, paying off loans on time, and protecting Kenyans from sudden repayment shocks,’ said Dr Kiptoo in his statement on Friday.

A notice published on Thursday by the London Stock Exchange (LSE), where the 2018 bond is listed, also noted that investors who participated in the bond buyback would be paid a premium of 3.75 percent on the face value of their securities, after the government priced the offer at $1,037.50 per principal bond unit of $1,000.

This price premium is seen as necessary to entice holders of the existing paper to roll over their holdings to the new bond.

The previous two buybacks have also seen the interest cost of the new bonds surpass that of the papers they are replacing.

In February 2024, the Treasury floated a $1.5 billion, seven-year Eurobond at a rate of 9.75 percent, with the proceeds used to partially repurchase Kenya’s debut 10-year, $2 billion sovereign bond that was issued in June 2014 at an interest rate of 6.875 percent.

The higher rate on the new bond resulted in annual interest of $146.25 million (Sh18.9 billion), which is higher than the $137.5 million (Sh17.8 billion) the government was paying on the 2014 issuance, despite the fact that the latter bond was larger in size by $500 million.

Similarly, the 11-year, $1.5 billion Eurobond issued in February this year to fund a buyback of a seven-year, $900 million bond sold in 2019 was priced at a higher rate of 9.5 percent, compared to the latter’s seven percent interest rate.

The 2025 bond pays investors annual interest of $142.5 million (Sh18.4 billion), compared to the $63 million (Sh8.1 billion) that was being paid on the retired 2019 bond per year.

Had the government limited its uptake on the new bond to $900 million to match the buyback paper, the interest rate difference would have been equivalent to Sh2.9 billion.

Meet Victor Agboli, statistician turning data into better health outcomes

Growing up in Lagos, Victor Agboli wondered why, during rainy seasons, malaria cases surged across his community, and while some families fell sick repeatedly, others seemed largely unaffected.

‘I noticed things like whether households used mosquito nets, had stagnant water nearby, or disinfected their rooms,’ he recalls. ‘Looking back, those were my first attempts at causal inference. I was connecting patterns in lifestyle to health outcomes without knowing what statistics was.’

That early curiosity set the foundation for a career now rooted in advanced biostatistics, where Agboli, a second-year Ph.D. student at the University of Florida, applies mathematical rigor to solve pressing health problems.

Building foundations across continents

Agboli’s academic path reflects both resilience and ambition. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and statistics from the University of Lagos, where a strong theoretical training came with the reality of limited data infrastructure.

‘We could prove theorems and derive equations, but often we didn’t have the real-world data to test them,’ he said.

A move to Atlanta for his master’s in mathematics at Georgia State University changed that. There, he gained exposure to large-scale U.S. health databases for the first time, finally seeing how statistical theory could inform public health practice.

‘It was the first time I could directly connect what I had learned in classrooms in Nigeria to real data, cancer registries, vaccination rates, and health surveys. It showed me the power of statistics in shaping decisions,’ he explains.

Working with companies like GSK and Bamboo, a Nigerian fintech startup, gave him firsthand exposure to how data can be harnessed to solve practical problems, from assessing risk in financial portfolios to improving customer experiences.

He also began to see gaps: areas where poor data practices or weak statistical foundations led to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, or even systemic vulnerabilities. Those realisation strengthened his commitment to becoming a practitioner, someone who could advance statistical knowledge while also ensuring its responsible application in industry.

‘I’ve always seen statistics as more than numbers,’ he says. ‘It’s about making sense of complexity, telling stories from data, and ultimately guiding decisions that affect people’s lives.’

Today at the University of Florida, Agboli is pursuing his PhD with a focus on methodological research in biostatistics.

His research explores advanced statistical methods for high-dimensional data, tackling challenges that arise in today’s era of big data and machine learning.

Working at the Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville. His role includes analysing clinical trial data, developing statistical models for studies on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep disorders, and drafting analysis plans for multimillion-dollar grant proposals.

‘Each stage of my journey shaped me differently, from theory in Lagos to applied data in Atlanta to developing new methods in Florida,’ he reflects. ‘Together, they made me the kind of researcher who values rigor but never loses sight of practical, human impact.’

The human side of data

Agboli’s work at the VA brings him close to one of the most vulnerable populations in the U.S.: veterans living with traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, and chronic sleep disorders.

His role, though statistical, is deeply tied to patient outcomes. ‘Behind every dataset are real people,’ he said. ‘When I analyse data on sleep quality or brain imaging, I remind myself that the numbers represent someone’s parent, child, or neighbor.’

One of his most fulfilling projects has been a clinical trial exploring the use of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) as a treatment for veterans struggling with sleep.

‘Sleep might sound basic, but for veterans with PTSD, it’s a daily struggle,’ Agboli said. ‘This non-invasive intervention offers a safer path to rest and recovery. My job was to design and analyse the data so that the results are reliable and meaningful.’

The research, he explains, has the potential to transform veterans’ quality of life. ‘If evidence can prevent wasted funds and save lives, that’s the difference I want to make,’ he said.

Mentorship beyond borders

Beyond research, Agboli is equally passionate about teaching and mentorship. He believes that the future of statistics and data science in Africa depends on creating pathways for young scholars.

‘Nigeria is full of talent,’ he said, ‘but many students don’t have the resources or opportunities to fully explore their potential in mathematics and data-driven fields.’

‘For undergraduates, I use everyday examples, like weather forecasts and the probability of carrying an umbrella. For graduate students, I connect theory directly to health research,’ he said. ‘My goal is for students to stop seeing statistics as just formulas and start seeing them as a way of thinking critically about the world.’

Looking ahead, Agboli hopes to expand his work beyond the U.S. ‘My long-term vision is to bring robust biostatistical methods to developing countries where data systems are still fragile,’ he said.

How FG’s hasty curriculum tweaking throws shockwaves into education landscape

The federal government’s abrupt introduction of a new national curriculum has stirred significant controversy within Nigeria’s education ecosystem.

While curriculum reforms are necessary to align with global standards, the hasty implementation leaves stakeholders scrambling for clarity and direction.

Stakeholders across the sector, including teachers, school administrators, parents, and publishers, are raising concerns over the lack of consultation, inadequate preparation, and the potential disruption to teaching and learning.

Hassan Bala, managing director/chief executive officer at Learn Africa Plc, a book publishing firm, in a chat with journalists disclosed that the best practice is for a curriculum to be introduced at least a year before it is been implemented so that it will allow time for all the various stakeholders to analyse, illuminate, and translate them into teaching and learning materials.

Bala expressed concerns that this is not the case in Nigeria’s newly introduced curriculum, which the Ministry of Education announced on Sunday, August 31, directing that it must commence in September with the 2025/26 academic session.

‘We had a knee-jerk decision with the curriculum being introduced at the nick of the session, and that didn’t give us time to prepare or even have any content for it.

‘It really threw in a lot of confusion within the publishing space because when you say something is for immediate implementation and there’s nothing to show, it becomes confusing,’ he said.

He explained that because of the abrupt nature of the announcement, some schools even requested to return the books already supplied to them, thinking they could get any content that was relevant.

‘So that confusion in itself had put a clog in the wheel of progress of our general operations, though the impact didn’t really hit us much, but generally it sent shockwaves within the ecosystem,’ he noted.

Sunday Nwosu, a parent, expressed concerns that the government did not consider it necessary to engage stakeholders in a discussion before coming out with its announcement on curriculum change.

‘The government did not imbibe the rule of corporate governance; those in authority are not working together with the stakeholders, making sure that they’re carrying the people along. So, the government is just doing whatever comes into their mind,’ he said.

The new curriculum introduces compulsory digital literacy and basic entrepreneurship at the JSS level, while programming, artificial intelligence, and new languages feature prominently at the SSS level.

It aims to balance academic learning with real-world application to prepare students for future work.

Gift Osikoya, a teacher, emphasised that the immediate and sudden implementation of the curriculum creates confusion and would lead to uneven adoption, stressing that there should have been a phased plan in place, which would have allowed room for smoother and gradual transition.

‘By this sudden and rushed approach, some schools will be compliant while others will lag, causing educational inequality,’ she stressed.

Some stakeholders maintain that without putting some foundational elements in place, the curriculum’s goals are bound to fail, especially in rural areas and some private schools.

Isaiah Ogundele, an education administrator, said the major thing required to drive the new policy is the personnel and infrastructure.

‘The need to train people according to the new curriculum and ensure they have good materials that would make the teaching and learning more effective and cost-effective,’ he said.

For Jessica Osuere, chief executive officer at RubiesHub Educational Services, a lot of preparation should have been done to make the policy a success, beyond rhetoric, as the minister did on August 31.

‘The minister’s announcement amounts to putting the cart before the horse. You don’t start implementation without a survey, definition of goals, and design of the goal, among others.

‘We have had several reviews of the curriculum, but how well did we fare in that regard? Most of our schools are in a moribund state today,’ she said.

Experts emphasised that, for instance, to drive the new curriculum demands teachers are retrained to handle the new subjects, especially those that require practical experiences.

For instance, subjects such as programming, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship require special skills that many of the teachers lack, hence the need for a retraining exercise.

According to UNESCO, every education system is only as good as the teachers who provide hands-on schooling.

Hence, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4) calls specifically for a major increase in the supply of qualified teachers, and more support from the international community for teacher training in developing countries.

‘Introducing a new curriculum with the same old teachers is like putting new wine in an old bottle,’ experts say.

It is high time those vested with the power to rule began to carry the people along in their policy formation and implementation. This way, everyone concerned will be on the same page with the government, and this will invariably reduce confusion and financial losses, as noticed in the introduction of the new curriculum.

How Binta Isma’il used a government stipend to build her shoemaking business

Binta Isma’il’s moved from hawking bread under the sun in Abaji market to owning a thriving shoemaking workshop in the same community, showing what resilience plus targeted support can accomplish. In 2019 she became a beneficiary of the Conditional Cash Transfer programme under the National Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government, she used her first stipend to register her new workspace she enrolled and paid to learn shoemaking she bought machines, leather and other tools she needed to build her trade, she says, ‘I used to hawk bread at Abaji market however since I started collecting this money I used it to register my new place of work’

Her workshop in Abaji, Federal Capital Territory is now more than a business; it is a place where apprentices learn the trade and people earn daily incomes from the work done there.

She recalls days when she carried loaves on her head wet from dew or heat ready before dawn often wondering if life would change.

With the stipend from CCT she made decisions that felt small at first yet turned out to be big she learnt shoemaking she bought a machine she bought materials she persisted when orders were few and when progress was slow she upgraded little by little every pair of shoes sold built confidence every apprentice trained expanded her shop steadily demand came she did not rush she built reputation

Her experience shows what well-targeted programmes can do for persons with little – provide small amounts of capital, enable training, remove certain barriers to entry she advises prospective beneficiaries to use stipends wisely enrol in a trade and invest in needed tools rather than waiting for large sums she says, ‘From the beginning, I enrolled and paid to learn the trade from the initial instalment of the CCT that was paid to me, because at that time, I was hawking at Abaji market’

Today Binta Isma’il’s workshop is busy, the income is more stable, and the apprentices are more confident.

Global leaders unite at Bridgforte Dialogues to reimagine inclusive financial systems

Policymakers, regulators, innovators, private sector leaders and philanthropists have said that the best way to confront the challenges of financial inclusion is for the government and private sector to co-create policies, monitor outcomes together, and build incentives for long-term commitment.

They insisted that there is a need to chart actionable pathways for inclusive and resilient financial systems.

These were the major takeaways from the inaugural Bridgforte Dialogues Roundtable held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

The programme with the theme: ‘Financial Inclusion Towards 2035: Shifting Power, Shaping Systems,’ held at the Harvard Club of New York City, was convened in collaboration with the Aspen Institute Financial Security Programme and ConsumerCentriX.

Adrienne Harris, Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services, said that the role of New York is to protect consumers and ensure an inclusive financial system.

According to her, the mission of New York is to globally maintain a thriving marketplace for both traditional institutions and innovators.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano, while reflecting on Nigeria’s long journey toward financial inclusion, said that despite the push for a cashless Nigeria, 65 percent of transactions are still in cash.

The former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor urged the participants to reckon with this gap amid the global push toward digital economies.

Soraya Hakuziyaremye, Governor, National Bank of Rwanda, in his virtual contribution at the programme, charged all stakeholders to co-create policies, monitor outcomes together, and build incentives for long-term commitment

Mohammed Umaru Bago, Governor of Niger State, called for stronger government leadership.

According to him, the government must lead on financial inclusion with sound policies, resilient infrastructure, and above all, investor protection. Clear laws and strong regulations are essential to ensure durable policies and lasting confidence.

Contributions from private sector leaders, including Africa’s celebrated fintech unicorns, added momentum, including from Shola Akinlade (Paystack) and Gbenga Agboola (Flutterwave), who highlighted Africa’s opportunity to break down borders through digital innovation and Bola Adesola (Ecobank Nigeria), who emphasised the role of trust and partnerships in advancing inclusion.

Participants proceeded to curated table discussions to identify blind spots in current strategies and co-create practical recommendations. The dialogue culminated in a plenary exchange, where perspectives from regulators, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists converged on the urgency of cross-sector collaboration to dismantle systemic barriers.

Commenting on the partnership, Ida Rademacher from the Aspen Institute Financial Security Programme said the roundtable is an exciting step to align private, public, and philanthropic leadership and consumer-centred insights to build a more responsive, beneficial financial infrastructure for the future.

Aishah N. Ahmad, CFA, Convener of the Bridgforte Dialogues, closed with a call to action: ‘Today we proved the power of an unusual conversation, candid, cross-sector, and bold. We tackled trust, the government’s role, disruptive technologies like DeFi, and the leadership needed for true transformation. Facilitating this dialogue has been a privilege, but the real work begins now, and I am committed to carrying it forward with urgency and resolve.’

The Bridgforte Dialogues align with UNGA 80’s theme ‘Better Together’ and anticipate the upcoming second world summit for social development, reinforcing that the future of inclusion lies in ensuring historically underrepresented voices are at the center of shaping global agendas.

Legend Internet gets investment-grade rating from Agusto, advances plans for London listing

Newly listed Legend Internet Plc has been assigned a long-term corporate rating of ‘Bbb-‘ and a short-term rating of ‘A3’ with a Stable Outlook by Agusto and Co., West Africa’s foremost credit rating agency.

Legend Internet Plc is Nigeria’s pioneering indigenous broadband service provider. The company on Thursday, April 24 listed its 2 billion ordinary shares by introduction on the Main Board of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX).

This marks Legend’s inaugural rating since its incorporation in 2021 and represents a strong validation of the Company’s business fundamentals and growth strategy.

The investment-grade rating reflects Legend’s satisfactory financial condition, supported by its cash-driven operations and low leverage. It also reflects robust infrastructure investments across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), passing 250,000 homes with 22,000 connected and 10,000 currently active, improving profitability margins, with gross profit rising to 63.9 percent in for year end 2024/25.

This exemplary rating is the outcome of cost optimisation measures and strong expansion prospects, including its planned entry into Lagos via merger and acquisition, alongside organic growth in Abuja and future rollouts in Kano and Port Harcourt.

Agusto and Co. noted that Legend’s strategic pause in customer activations during Abuja’s city-wide construction works has positioned the Company to scale more efficiently as disruptions subside.

The recently approved 50 percent tariff hike by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is also expected to boost earnings and cash flow in the near term.

A statement signed by Shakirah Aisha Alaga, Chief Marketing Officer, Legend Internet Plc quoted Aisha Abdulaziz, Chief Executive Officer of Legend Internet Plc, saying ‘ This is first-time rating from Agusto and Co. is a milestone achievement for Legend Internet Plc.

It validates our resilience, prudent financial management, and commitment to building Nigeria’s most reliable broadband network. As we expand into Lagos and other key markets, this rating reinforces the confidence of our investors, partners, and customers in Legend’s ability to grow sustainably while powering digital lifestyles across Nigeria.’

Legend Internet, which transitioned to a Public Limited Company in April 2024, is advancing plans for a dual listing on the Nigerian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.

The Company continues to diversify its ecosystem with complementary solutions such as LegendMail (Nigeria’s first commercial email platform), MailPay (its proprietary fintech application), and Legend Omni (Fibre-to-the-Room – FTTR) services introduced in partnership with Huawei.

With this rating, Legend Internet PLC strengthens its position as one of Nigeria’s leading broadband providers, building a stable foundation to accelerate growth, attract investment, and deepen digital inclusion nationwide.

Sanae Takaichi set to become Japan’s first female prime minister

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday elected Sanae Takaichi, former economic security minister as its new leader, putting her on course to become the country’s first female prime minister.

The 64-year-old conservative, a close ally of the late Shinzo Abe, defeated agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote after neither candidate secured a majority in the first round. The victory cements her position as the frontrunner to succeed outgoing prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned after a year marked by political turmoil and electoral losses.

A parliamentary vote to formally confirm Takaichi as prime minister is expected on October 15. While the LDP no longer holds an outright majority, it remains the largest party in the lower house – which determines the head of government – making her confirmation almost certain.

A historic first for Japan

In a country that consistently ranks low in global gender equality indices, Takaichi’s rise is historic. No woman has ever led Japan in its post-war history. Yet her victory also underscores the complex realities of Japanese politics: Takaichi is among the most conservative figures in the LDP, a party long dominated by men and traditionalist values.

A protégé of Abe, she has pledged to revive his economic programme known as Abenomics – a mix of heavy government spending, loose monetary policy and structural reform aimed at reviving growth.

‘Takaichi’s leadership will likely mean continuity with Abe’s policies, particularly in the economy and national security,’ said Stephen Nagy, a visiting fellow at the Japan Institute for International Affairs told Al Jazeera ‘She represents the conservative core of the LDP.’

Conservative credentials and controversies

Takaichi has long been known for her strong views on social and national identity issues. She opposes legislation allowing married couples to keep separate surnames and is against legalising same-sex marriage, arguing such changes would undermine Japanese traditions.

She is also a regular visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan’s war dead, including several convicted war criminals, a practice that often draws criticism from China and South Korea.

On foreign policy, she has taken a hawkish stance, calling for a stronger military and a revision of Japan’s pacifist constitution. She is expected to face early pressure on defence spending when she meets Donald Trump,United States president at a potential summit later this month.

A party in need of revival

Takaichi inherits a party that has dominated Japanese politics for nearly seven decades but is now struggling to maintain public trust. The LDP suffered back-to-back defeats in national elections, losing its majority in both chambers of parliament for the first time in decades.

Saturday’s vote involved 295 LDP lawmakers and about one million dues-paying party members – a small fraction of Japan’s 125 million people. Many analysts see her victory as a bid by the LDP establishment to consolidate its base rather than signal generational or ideological change.

Koizumi, 44, who came second in the runoff, had campaigned on party reform and generational renewal, describing the LDP’s current state as ‘a crisis’. His defeat means Japan will continue to be led by a traditional conservative rather than a centrist moderniser.

Challenges ahead

If confirmed, Takaichi will face an uphill battle: an ageing population, rising living costs, and a slowing economy weighed down by debt. Abroad, Japan confronts an increasingly volatile region marked by China’s assertiveness, North Korea’s missile programme and the uncertainties of Trump’s trade policies.

She will also have to unite a divided party and rebuild its standing before the next general election.

‘The LDP must regain trust, and an overhaul is needed for us to start afresh,’ Koizumi said during the campaign.

For Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister-in-waiting, the task ahead is daunting – not just to lead, but to prove that breaking history can also mean breaking stagnation.

Meet Japan’s next prime minister candidates

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will elect a new leader today, setting the stage for the country’s fifth prime minister in as many years after the resignation of Shigeru Ishiba.

The vote comes at a turbulent moment for the conservative party, which has governed Japan almost continuously since the 1950s but is now reeling from election losses, corruption scandals and a frustrated public weary of economic stagnation.

After losing its parliamentary majority in last year’s lower house elections – and suffering another setback in July’s upper house vote – the LDP has been forced to govern as a weakened minority. Ishiba’s decision last month to step down opened a race that could shape the direction of Japanese politics for years to come.

Whoever takes the helm will inherit a nation grappling with the rising cost of living, growing populist sentiment and the fallout from Donald Trump, United States president trade war.

Shinjiro Koizumi

At 44, Shinjiro Koizumi is the youngest and one of the most recognisable faces in the race. The son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, he has long been seen as a potential future leader.

As agriculture minister, Koizumi gained popularity earlier this year for his handling of Japan’s ‘rice crisis,’ when soaring prices hit consumers. His pragmatic response boosted his public profile and earned him backing from much of the LDP establishment.

A moderate by temperament, Koizumi has promised to reform the tax system, cut public debt and promote growth while maintaining fiscal discipline. Yet his relatively young age and less prestigious academic background – he studied at Kanto Gakuin University and Columbia University – may count against him in a party where pedigree still matters.

Sanae Takaichi

Sanae Takaichi, 64, is the only woman in the race and a prominent figure on the LDP’s right wing. A protégé of the late prime minister Shinzo Abe, she shares many of his conservative instincts.

A former economic security minister, Takaichi advocates a revival of ‘Abenomics’ – the mix of monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reform that defined Abe’s era. She has also taken hard-line positions on immigration, same-sex marriage and relations with China.

Yoshimasa Hayashi

Another contender, Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64, is regarded as the ‘dark horse’ of the race. Currently serving as chief cabinet secretary, Hayashi has previously led the defence and foreign ministries and is known for his calm, consensus-driven style.

He is campaigning on fiscal prudence and foreign policy continuity, arguing that Japan must deepen cooperation with ‘like-minded democracies’ to counter China, Russia and North Korea.

Toshimitsu Motegi

At 69, Toshimitsu Motegi is the most senior of the five contenders. A former foreign and economy minister, he brings decades of political experience and a reputation as a skilled negotiator.

Motegi’s platform focuses on tackling inflation, cutting fuel prices and raising wages for care workers. His economic proposals fall somewhere between Koizumi’s fiscal restraint and Takaichi’s spending-heavy conservatism.

Takayuki Kobayashi

The youngest after Koizumi, Takayuki Kobayashi, 50, represents the LDP’s next generation. A former economic security minister, he is known for his intelligence and international outlook.

Kobayashi has campaigned on easing the cost of living and boosting growth through innovation. However, analysts say his youth and limited experience may hinder his chances.

Redefining Success: The Roundtable 2025 tackles leadership and purpose

Over 1,000 Nigerian youths have gathered in Lagos for The Roundtable 2025, a youth-led dialogue focused on empowerment, self-belief, and purpose.

The event, organised by Limitless Club, annually provides a platform for young people to engage in honest conversations about leadership, readiness, and redefining success.

This was made known through a statement on Thursday, signed by its convener, Kennedy Ekezie, and Public Relations and Communications Specialist, Mojolaoluwa Abayomi.

In the statement, the organisation stressed the timeliness of the theme, ‘We Start from Enough.’

According to the convener, the year’s edition challenges the common narrative that young people must wait for credentials, recognition, or perfection before making a desired impact.

The organisers noted that ‘Now in its fourth year, The Roundtable has grown into more than just a conference. Convened by Kennedy Ekezie and supported by a team including PR and Communications Specialist Mojolaoluwa Abayomi, the event brings together a diverse cross-section of youth from different industries, backgrounds, and regions to share, learn, and build community.

‘The 2025 edition will draw over 1,300 participants, its largest turnout yet, but the impact went far beyond numbers. The atmosphere was marked by reflection, vulnerability, and bold storytelling, as participants explored what it means to start from where they are, with what they already have.’

The statement noted how the popular Tunde Onakoya, founder of Chess in Slums Africa, reminded the audience that small beginnings can carry global potential. ‘You must believe that whatever you have in your hands is absolutely significant,’ he shared, drawing from his journey of transforming lives with a chessboard.

The Director of Programmes, Kamsi Asuzu-Obumselu, described the event as ‘a village of presence,’ a space where young people gather not to impress, but to grow together.

‘Reflection prompts, group activities, and peer-led discussions helped translate the day’s messages into practical insight,’ Asuzu-Obumselu added.

Founder of Shredder Gang, Bumi George, spoke against the pressure for perfectionism, encouraging participants to show up even when they felt scared or uncertain. She emphasised that in a society where young people often hesitate to act until they feel flawless, vulnerability should instead be seen as the foundation for personal growth.

Additionally, Digital Creator Eric Gugua highlighted the necessity of commitment. He shared that consistent effort was essential to success, explaining that he had only seen real transformation in his work after moving beyond years of inconsistent dedication.

Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili brought a sense of urgency to the gathering, introducing a framework rooted in intention.

She encouraged the audience to take time to reflect, express gratitude, and accept responsibility.

According to her, courage and collaboration were essential values, not optional, stressing that ‘Character was the most lasting form of value,’ asserting that small-scale thinking was no longer sufficient, calling for increased collaboration among young people.

NiMet forecasts drier weather in October as rainy season winds down across Nigeria

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has released its October 2025 weather outlook, predicting the gradual cessation of rainfall across the country, particularly in the northern region, and a steady transition to drier, hotter conditions.

According to NiMet, rainfall cessation will begin from the extreme north and progress southward, bringing clearer skies, longer sunshine hours, and rising temperatures. By mid-to-late October, northern states such as Sokoto, Borno, and Adamawa are expected to experience increasingly dry, sunny, and slightly hazy conditions.

In central states, including Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory, intermittent rainfall may persist in the early part of the month, before gradually giving way to clearer skies and drier weather.

For southern Nigeria, NiMet projects near-normal rainfall in about 45 per cent of locations and below-normal rainfall in 35 percent of areas already experiencing prolonged dry spells. Despite the expected reduction in rainfall, humidity levels will remain high in the region, contributing to warmer and more uncomfortable conditions.

Temperature forecasts for October show daytime highs ranging between 30°C and 32°C, while nighttime lows are expected between 20°C and 23°C. Humidity will be elevated in the south but moderate in central and northern regions.

‘Temperature and Humidity Outlook

Daytime Highs: 30°C – 32°C

Nighttime Lows: 20°C – 23°C

Humidity: Elevated in the South; moderate in Central and Northern regions.’

NiMet also issued advisories for key sectors. Farmers in the north have been encouraged to commence post-rainy season activities, while those in central and southern regions are advised to monitor irregular rainfall patterns. Health authorities have been urged to prepare for possible heat-related illnesses, while transport and aviation operators are advised to stay alert to erratic weather conditions and liaise with NiMet for accurate updates.

‘Advisories; Farmers (North): Begin post-rainy season activities.

Farmers (Central/South): Monitor for irregular rainfall.

Health Authorities: Prepare for possible heat-related health issues.

Transport/Aviation: Expect erratic weather; liaise with NiMet for accurate forecasts.

General Public: Stay alert to flash floods, strong winds, and lightning. Follow NiMet updates,’

The agency further cautioned the general public to remain vigilant against flash floods, strong winds, and lightning, stressing the importance of following its periodic advisories and real-time weather updates.